Posted by Bob S on October 12, 2009 at 21:33:49:
Three days later, WQXR has not made it technically or progam-wise. On the night of the Orpheus opening concert I switched between WNYC and WQXR. The fidelity was much more dynamic and clear on WNYC, the highs and lows were there as they should be. On WQXR there was too much extraneous background noise. The week before the Boston Symphony was broadcast on 96.3 with far more dynamism and clarity than Orpheus. Is this a difference in technical skiils.
I notice that some programs are "underwritten by" and some are "sponsored by". Does this mean that WQXR is accepting commercials. The tag that follows sponsored by is longer and certainly sounds like a commercial.
Technically music belongs on 93.9 and talk would be more suited to 105.9. Since WNYC is already licensed as non-profit, perhaps this would have caused problems with the "sponsor" aspect of WQXR. I think there were certain agreements made that we were not made aware of.
The first Temple Emanuel broadcast on the new frequency was also wanting. Engineers did not know how to adjust the microphones to avoid the echo effect of the gigantic santuary.
Programming, there are a fair amount of music programs that are simply not classical. "From the Top" on Sunday night was a nice program, but not what I had tuned to this station for. I also note the schedule calls for jazz, and folk music. There are other outlets for this kind of music within public radio statons.
Finally, now that the COL is Newark, it sounds like WQXR ought show some attention to the New Jersey Symphony whose home base is Newark. And, don't forget to give the Mayor of Newark his due time on the air.